Contact lens washer with lens storage

ABSTRACT

There is a container to hold lens washing fluid. A member is rotatably mounted in a lidlike member mounted on this container. This rotatably mounted member has a lower part that removably receives a perforated case for a contact lens. Mounted on the lidlike member is a turn knob that through gearing mounted in the lid turns the rotatable member carrying the lens case so that washing takes place of the contact lens carried in the perforated case. The container has spaced-apart depending legs between which a lens case carrier may be stored. The turn knob has two compartments with hinged tops for storage of right and left contact lenses.

United States Patent [72] inventors Dolph G. Frantz 3212 Dorchester Drive; William Joseph, 3719 Berkley Drive, both of Montgomery, Ala. 361 ll [21] Appl. No. 860,742 [22] Filed Sept. 24, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 30, 1971 [54] CONTACT LENS WASHER Wl'll-l LENS STORAGE 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 134/143, 134/149, 134/162. 206/5 A [51] int. Cl. 8081; 3/04, B08b 1 1/02 [50] Field of Search 134/140, 143,149,156,l58, 162; 206/5 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,347,698 7/1920 l-lipes 134/143 X 2,054,656 9/1936 Little 134/143 2,081,142 5/1937 Branaman, Sr. 134/149 UX Primary Examiner-Robert L. Bleutge Attorney-Jones and Lockwood ABSTRACT: There is a container to hold lens washing fluid. A member is rotatably mounted in a lidlike member mounted on thiskontainer. This rotatably mounted member has a lower part that removably receives a perforated case for a contact lens. Mounted on the lidlike member is a turn knob that through gearing mounted in the lid turns the rotatable member carrying the lens case so that washing takes place of the contact lens carried in the perforated case. The container has spaced-apart depending legs between which a lens case carrier may be stored. The turn knob has two compartments with hinged tops for storage of right and left contact lenses.

PATENTEDuuv 30 \en w H [H HI! JHIIHILHII TORS DOLPH a. FRANTZ WILL/AM JOSEPH ATTORNEYS ll/I/I/I/I 1/1 Ill/111111111) lZ kl Fla 4 HIZ SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a contact lens washer that also provides for storing and carrying contact lenses.

For a more complete understanding of the nature ad scope of the invention reference is had to the drawings, the description and the claims that follow.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the lens washer and associated parts;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the lens washer in FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the assembled lens washer of FIG. I with a portion of the top broken away and with a lens case carrier attached to the bottom; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line 4-4 of FIG. 2 on an enlarged scale.

Through the description like reference numbers refer to similar parts.

The lens washer is generally indicated at 10. It has a cylindrical container 11 open at the top for receiving lens washing fluid and a lens case agitator. There are depending spaced apart legs 12 on the container 11 that frictionally house a lens case carrier 13, see FIG. 3. The container 11 has threads 14 at its upper outer periphery for receiving a lidlike member.

A lidlike member 15 open at both top and bottom has a transverse partition or top portion 16 intermediate its open ends. The lower end of the member 15 has internal threads 17, see FIG. 4, that are received by the external threads 14 on container 11. This lidlike member 15 has in its partition or top portion 16 a center axially extending aperture 18 that acts as a bearing, a recess 19 in the top of the partition or top portion 16 for receiving a planetary gear and an intumed lip 20 that acts as a securement for an actuating knob member that snapfits thereunder, all as will be described hereinafter.

An axially extending lens case agitator member is generally indicated at 21, see FIG. 4, and has a lower bifurcated portion 22 between whose concave legs 22a is received a cylindrically shaped perforated lens case 23. Instead of the lens case 23 being separate, the lens case agitator member 21 may be a one piece unit to house lenses back to back. The upper end of the lens case carrier 22 has an axially and upwardly extending shaft or journal portion 22b that is received in the central bearing aperture 18. Secured by friction or by other suitable means to the journal 22b is a spur gear member 24 that has its lower end formed with a central recess received over the journal 22b.

A planetary gear 25 has a journal 25a at its lower end that is received in the recess 19 in the partition member that acts as a guide bearing.

To drive the planetary gear 25 and the spur gear 24 on the agitator 21 there is a circular knob member generally indicated at 26 which has a depending peripheral flange 27 with a radially extending edge 27a, see FIG. 4, and internal gear teeth 28 on the inside periphery thereof. These internal gear teeth mesh with the planetary gear 25. An additional gear 25 may be mounted opposite gear 25 to mesh with spur gear 24 and the internal teeth 28 for further gearing smoothness and stability. The radial edge snap-fits under the intumed lip of the lidlike member 15. The top of the knob 26 has an upstanding transverse top portion 29. This portion 29 is integrally hinged at 290 at one end to the knob 26, see FIG. 4, and has a recessed catch 29!) at its opposite end that snap-fits over a like shaped protuberance 30 formed on the knob member 26. The top portion 29 has a depending wall or partition that forms two compartments for receiving right and left lens carrying cases.

By grasping with the fingers the upstanding portion 29 on the knob member 26 and rotating the same back and forth, an agitating action of the agitator member 21 takes place. This permits the liquid lens cleaner and washer solution to move through the perforated lens case 23 and wash the lens carried therein.

A small battery operated motor (not shown) could be incorporated in the top to drive the agitator 21.

The lens case carrier 13 shown in FIG. 3 as being stored at the bottom end of the washer I0 is an alternative storage place for lens cases as well as an auxiliary storage for a pair of reserve contact lenses.

We claim as our invention:

1. A contact lens washer comprising, in combination,

a container open at its top for receiving lens washing fluid and a lens case agitator;

a lidlike member mounted on the top end of the container and open at both ends and having a transverse partition intermediate its ends, said partition having a central axially extending aperture therethrough;

an axially extending lens case agitator member pivotally mounted in said central aperture in the partition and having depending bifurcated lens case gripping portions extending into the container and an upper end extending above the partition having a spur gear thereon;

a knoblike member pivotally received in the upper end of lidlike member and having a finger grasp portion and an internal ring gear portion in its bottom periphery; and

a planetary gear pivotally mounted on the partition member and interconnecting said ring gear and said spur gear whereby turning said knoblike member rotates said lens case holder member in the container for washing lenses in a washing fluid inserted in the container.

2. A contact lens washer comprising, in combination,

a container open at its top for receiving lens washing liquid and a lens case agitator;

a lidlike member removably mounted on the top end of the container and open at both ends and having a transverse partition intermediate its ends;

said partition having an aperture extending therethrough;

a lens case agitator pivotally mounted in said aperture in the partition and extending into said container and having de pending lens case supporting means and an upper end extending above the partition and having a spur gear thereon;

a knoblike member pivotally received in the upper end of the lidlike member and having finger grasp means for rotating the same and internal gear teeth therein;

planetary gear means pivotally mounted on said transverse top portion of the lidlike member and interposed between said spur gear on the agitator and said internal gear teeth in the knoblike member for imparting rotation to said agitator member whereby a lens carried in said lens case is washed in the liquid in the container.

3. A contact lens washer comprising, in combination,

a container open at its top for receiving lens washing liquid and a lens case agitator;

a lidlike member removably mounted on the top end of the container and having a transverse top portion;

said transverse top portion having an aperture extending therethrough;

a lens agitator pivotally mounted in said aperture in the transverse top portion and extending into said container and having depending lens supporting means and an upper end extending above the transverse top portion and having a spur gear thereon;

a knoblike member pivotally received on the upper end of the lidlike member and having finger grasp means for rotating the same and internal gear teeth therein planetary gear means pivotally mounted on said transverse top portion of the lidlike member and interposed between said spur gear on the agitator and said internal gear teeth in the knoblike member for imparting rotation to said agitator member whereby a lens carried in said lens case is washed in the liquid in the container.

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1. A contact lens washer comprising, in combination, a container open at its top for receiving lens washing fluid and a lens case agitator; a lidlike member mounted on the top end of the container and open at both ends and having a transverse partition intermediate its ends, said partition having a central axially extending aperture therethrough; an axially extending lens case agitator member pivotally mounted in said central aperture in the partition and having depending bifurcated lens case gripping portions extending into the container and an upper end extending above the partition having a spur gear thereon; a knoblike member pivotally received in the upper end of the lidlike member and having a finger grasp portion and an internal ring gear portion in its bottom periphery; and a planetary gear pivotally mounted on the partition member and interconnecting said ring gear and said spur gear whereby turning said knoblike member rotates said lens case holder member in the container for washing lenses in a washing fluid inserted in the container.
 2. A contact lens washer comprising, in combination, a container open at its top for receiving lens washing liquid and a lens case agitator; a lidlike member removably mounted on the top end of the container and open at both ends and having a transverse partition intermediate its ends; said partition having an aperture extending therethrough; a lens case agitator pivotally mounted in said aperture in the partition and extending into said container and having depending lens case supporting means and an upper end extending above the partition and having a spur gear thereon; a knoblike member pivotally received in the upper end of the lidlike member and having finger grasp means for rotating the same and internal gear teeth therein; planetary gear means pivotally mounted on said transverse top portion of the lidlike member and interposed between said spur gear on the agitator and said internal gear teeth in the knoblike member for imparting rotation to said agitator member whereby a lens carried in said lens case is washed in the liquid in the container.
 3. A contact lens washer comprising, in combination, a container open at its top for rEceiving lens washing liquid and a lens case agitator; a lidlike member removably mounted on the top end of the container and having a transverse top portion; said transverse top portion having an aperture extending therethrough; a lens agitator pivotally mounted in said aperture in the transverse top portion and extending into said container and having depending lens supporting means and an upper end extending above the transverse top portion and having a spur gear thereon; a knoblike member pivotally received on the upper end of the lidlike member and having finger grasp means for rotating the same and internal gear teeth therein; planetary gear means pivotally mounted on said transverse top portion of the lidlike member and interposed between said spur gear on the agitator and said internal gear teeth in the knoblike member for imparting rotation to said agitator member whereby a lens carried in said lens case is washed in the liquid in the container. 